Covering element



Sapin, 29, 1936. J. A. ToPPlNG 2,055,758

COVERING ELEMENT 'Filed sept. 1, 1954 Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 14 Claims.

The invention relates to covering elements of interlocking type and more especially to covering elements such as individual shingles of interlocking type. The invention particularly relates to covering elements or shingles of interlocking type made of iiexible weather proof materials.

Covering elements or shingles of interlocking type having like-extending lateral edges and provided with cuts in the form of slits or slots extending from the lateral edges or from the end edge to be exposed of the shingle heretofore have been proposed in diiferent forms. Such shingles have been designed to be laid with the lateral edge of one shingle inserted in the slit or slot of an adjacent shingle to provide interlocking of the shingles, Also, shingles of such form as to provide edges thereof extending in divergent directions from the point or corner thereof to be exposed have been provided with slots adjacent said point or corner of the shingle for interlocking with the converging edges of two similarly positioned similar shingles adjacent thereto.

One object of the present invention is to provide a shingle which will have the end edge to be exposed thereof so formed that a portion of a polygon, such as a semi-hexagon, may be formed on the shingle while securing a suitable interlocking of the adjacent shingles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a form of shingle in which the portion thereof upon the end to be exposed will be formed as a tab of given shape and the portions between the slits or slots and the side edges will be formed as auxiliar;7 tabs which may be of similar shape or of symmetrical outline.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a strong interlock by means of a tongue of increased length by forming the end to be exposed of the shingle with an outline of particular shape.

According to my invention I form the end edge to be exposed of the shingle, which shingle has lateral sides which are like-extending and preferably parallel, with portions adjacent to said lateral edges extending at obtuse angles with said lateral edges and converging in the direction toward the end to be exposed of the shingle. Within the scope of my invention these edges may converge to a point or may intersect and meet a laterally extending edge of said end to be exposed, that is, an edge or a portion of the end edge which extends transversely of the lateral edges of the shingle and preferably in symmetrical relation thereto.

In order to provide for interlocking the shingle oi my invention with a similar shingle laid adjacent thereto, at points upon said converging edges each adjacent a lateral edge but removed therefrom a distance sufcient to provide for the overlap of the side edge portion of one shingle upon the side edge portion of the adjacent interlocking shingle, I form a cut, preferably a slit or in some cases depending upon the thickness of the material utilized a slot, extending transversely of said obtuse or convergent portions oi the end edge of the shingle. Said slits or slots may extend toward the central portion of the body of the shingle, that is, inwardly from said obtuse edges, a distance sufficient to provide not only for the overlap of said lateral edges above referred to but also to determine the amount of the end edge of the shingle which is to be exposed between the two shingles laterally interlocked at either side of each shingle. By suitably forming the portion of the end edge of the shingle, between imaginary lines upon the shingle like-extending with the side edges and respectively passing through points at the inner ends of the slits, I may thus determine in the shingle itself the desired form of the exposure of the 20 edge of the shingle when laid in the interlocking arrangement. Thus, for example, I may form the portion between said lines passing through the inner ends of the slits as a semi-hexagon or a semi-Octagon. I may also form this portion of the end edge of the shingle with other outlines.

In order to provide a strong interlock and an increased length of the slit utilized in my invention I preferably form the obtusely extending and converging portions of the end edge with an oifset in the outline thereof. Said offset is so made that the length of the slot is increased, that is, the portion of said outline which the slot intersects extends outwardly from the body of the shingle with respect to the part of said convergent outlines which is part of the portion to be exposed of said end edge. Thus I may form a tongue adjacent the slit or slot which will have increased length over that which will be possible if the converging or obtusely extending lines each were continuous from the lateral edges and were intersected by the slits or slots. In this manner I am able to secure the increased interlock provided by the increased length of the tongue, while maintaining the forni of the portion of the edge to be exposed which will lie between the edges of the adjacent interlocking shingles as referred to above.

Moreover, said slit or slot may be so made with respect to the obtusely extending and converging portions of the end edge of the shingle and with respect to the adjacent lateral edge of the shingle that a tab is formed upon the portion of the shingle which overlaps the adjacent interlocking shingle. Said tab may be and preferably is of symmetrical form consistent and harmonizing with the form of the tab or outline of the end of the shingle exposed between adjacent interlocking shingles but if desired may be of other forms while carrying out the spirit of my invention.

In conjunction with said slit I preferably provide a recess or notch in the obtusely extending edge, which recess or notch has its wider portion at said o-btuse edge and to the inner and narrow portion of which the slit is connected. By thus forming the recess I may secure not only a symmetrical tab for overlapping upon an adjacent shingle but also I may secure a tab of outline similar to the outline of the main tab formed to be exposed between the lateral edges of adjacent shingles. By forming this recess in the obtusely extending edge of the shingle I also provide for easy entrance of the lateral edge of the interlocking shingle into the slit. As will be clearly understood from the description to follow in connection with the drawing, the projecting tongue adjacent said recess may be more readily slipped under the edge of the adjacent interlocking shingle and the overlapping auxiliary tab thus may slide up upon the edge of the adjacent shingle as it enters the slit of the shingle being laid. Other features of my invention will appear from the following description to be taken in connection with the drawing in which Figure l shows a shingle embodying the features of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a modied form of the shingle of the invention;

Figure 3 shows an assembly of the shingles of Figure 2 in interlocking arrangement.

In Figure l the shingle l is shown with a tab .2 formed by the edges 3, l and 5 of the tab. Ad-

jacent the inner or uppermost ends of the edges 4 and 5 are formed the tongues 6 and l. These tongues are formed by the slits 8 and 9 which are cut from the edges i@ and l! of the shingle toward the central portion of the body thereof.

The edges iii and H of the shingle are offset respectively from the edges 4i and 5. In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure l edges IS and l l are formed so as to extend in a direction respectively parallel to the edges fi and 5. While this relation is preferable the invention is not limited to a form of shingle with the oiset edges lil and il parallel to the edges 4 and 5. The edges l@ and il being offset outwardly from the body portion, that is, outwardly from the edges li and 5, are connected to the inner or upward ends of the edges l and 5 by the short edges l2 and i3. It will, therefore, be noted that thus, between the cuts or slits 8 and 9 and respectively the edges l2 and i3, the tongues 5 and l above referred to are formed.

The edges il and 5 in the particular embodiment shown in Figure l form equal angles with though oppositely divergent from the edge 3 of the tab 2 and, as stated above, the edges l@ and H preferably are formed parallel to the edges d and 5. Preferably the slits 8 and 9 are made in a direction respectively parailel to the edges 5 and d of the tab. Thus it will be seen that there are formed between the slits or cuts B and 9 and respectively the upper portions of the edges l@ and ll, that is, the portions adjacent the lateral or side edges l 1i and i5 of the shingle, auxiliary tabs i6 and Il, which, because of the parallel relation of the lines, are of symmetrical outline about a vertical line from the point of said auxiliary tab. These tabs E@ and il having, as described above, sloping side edges parallel to the edges l and 5 of the main tab 2 of the shingle produce an effect in the assembly which is consistent and harmonious with the elect produced by the main tabs 2 themselves.

It will be apparent from Figure 1 that the tongues 6 and 1 which are formed respectively between the slits 8 and 9 and the edges l2 and i3, because of edges l0 and l l being outwardly positioned with respect to the edges 4 and 5, are of longer length than if the edges 4 and 5 were extended to intersect and meet respectively the side edges |45 and l5 of the shingle. Thus, a greater area of tongue is secured for underlapping the side edge of the shingles to be interlocked in the slits 8 and 9 than if the edges 4 and 5 were so extended. Moreover, a greater length of the slits 8 and 9 is thus obtained and auxiliary tabs of suitable size properly to harmonize with the main tabs of the shingle are secured.

As will be noted from Figure l, the slits 8 and 9 extend inwardly from the edges Hl and ll to a point substantially rearwardly or upwardly, that is, in a direction parallel to the side edges ill and I5 from the upper ends of the edges 4l and 5. Extending in a direction parallel to the edges il! and l5 are short cuts I8 and i9 which provide for the thickness of the interlocked shingle and permit the tabs l5 and Il properly to lie upon the overlapped interlocking shingle inserted in the slits 8 and 9. By forming said short slits IB and I9, that is, the inner ends of the slits 8 and 9, substantially in line with the inner or upper ends of the edges d and 5 of the tab 2 it will be clear, particularly upon a consideration of Figure 3. that the edges l2 and I3 of the shingle become covered by the overlapping interlocked shingle, that is, substantially by the tabs i6 and il overlapped upon the tongues 6 and l. Thus, of the lower portion of the shingle only the portion between the edges 3. 4 and 5 and the overlapping tongues l and il' are seen in the assembly. As will be noted from Figure 8, the lateral edge of the interlocking shingle completes the motif formed in the assembly by connecting the inner or upper ends of the edges 4 and 5 respectively to the auxiliary tabs iii and l'i.

In Figure 2 is shown a modified form of the element of Figure 1 in which gures like parts are indicated by like numerals. In this form of the shingle of the invention the outline of the tabs I 6 and l1 has been modiiied to be substantially that of a semi-hexagon similar to that of the tab 2. This is accomplished by cutting in the edges Il] and ll recesses 2@ and 2l by removing a portion of the material of the shingle between the slits 8 and 9 and the edges lil and il respectively. This may be done in such a way as to be equivalent to cutting ofi the point of the tabs l and l? shown in Figure 1 to such a degree that the respective edges of the tongues i6 and Il in Figure 2, which are parallel to the edges 3, 3, and 5, are proportional to said edges, It will be noted in this modification that the overall extent of the slit and recess remains the same and the length of the tongues 6 and 'l is unchanged as compared with those of Figure 1. Thus the secure interlock of the shingles is maintained and the ample area of underlying tongue to obtain holding down of the exposed portion of the shingle is secured. In this form of the shingle, as may be seen from Figure 3, the auxiliary tabs i6 and il harmonize with the main tabs and produce an auxiliary motif in the roof design which supplements and adds to the pleasing appearance produced in the design by the semi-hexagon main tab itself.

In order to obtain the advantages which have been described above and to secure the pleasing appearance as well as the strong mechanical interlock of the shingles, preferably I so proportion the edges 3, 4 and 5 of the main tab with respect to the total width of the shingle that, with an ample extension of the edges IG and II outwardly from the main portion of the shingle so as to secure sufficiently long length of slits 8 and 9 and sufcient extension for the tongues 6 and 1, I may obtain symmetrical auxiliary tabs I6 and I'I and, in the form illustrated in Figure 2, auxiliary tabs which are of similar geometric form to that of the main tab 2. As stated above, the inner ends of the slits 8 and 9 are positioned on lines substantially parallel to the lateral edges I4 and I5 drawn through the upward or inner ends of the edges 4 and 5 of the tab 2. I have found also that in laying out the shingles I may extend the edges 4 and 5 respectively as lines to intersect the slits 8 and 9. Through these points of intersection if layout lines 5I! and 5I are drawn parallel to the lateral edges I4 and I5 a substantial and practical form of the extension of the tongues 6 and I may be secured by forming the edges ID and II so as to intersect respectively the edges I2 and I3 at the points 52 and 53 upon these lines 5I) and 5I. Moreover, in the form of element illustrated in Figure 2 the bottom edges 22 and 23 of the tabs I6 and II may be drawn extending laterally from said points of intersection of the extension of the edges 4 and 5 with the slits 8 and 9. While the invention is not limited to the particular geometric relations which have just been described, I have found such relations produce a practical form of unit capable of strong mechanical interlock with units having their lateral edges inserted in the slits B and 9 and, moveover, units or shingles which have a pleasing outline producing, by virtue of its mechanical form in the roof as well as in the shingle itself, designs which heretofore have not been secured.

In my invention I have also provided a shingle which may be cut from a roofing sheet without substantial waste. The form which is illustrated in Figure l may be cut from a roofing sheet by well known methods, preferably by means of a rotating cylinder having cutting knives upon the periphery thereof, without any waste. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the edges 39, 3|, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36 respectively are parallel to the edges I9, II, I2, I3, 4, 5 and 3 of the lower or edge to be exposed of the shingle. Thus, as may be seen in the dotted outline, the forward or lower edge of a succeeding shingle intertting with the rearward edges of the shingle of Figure l may be cut upon severing the shingle of Figure 1 from a sheet and without waste of material of the sheet. In this figure the dotted lines have been slightly separated from the full lines of the rear or overlapped edge of the shingle in order to make clear the intertting or complementary form of the rearward and forward edges of each unit.

Likewise in Figure 2, for the most part a succeeding shingle may have its forward edge cut in interitting relation to the rearward edge of the shingle of Figure 2. The main proportions of said rearward edge of Figure 2 bear like numbers with the portions of the rearward edge of the shingle of Figure l. It will be noted, however, that the tongues or corners 38 and 39 of the shingles in Figure 2 have been cut to form edges 49 and 4I, thus removing material between the edges I0 and II on the succeeding shingle and said edgesy 4U and 4I of the shingle being severed from the sheet.

Thus it will be clear that in the form illustrated in Figure 2 a slight waste of material is made in forming these edges 4I)V and 4I as well as in forming the recesses 2G and 2I above described. This Waste of material, however, isv negligible in consideration of the advantage obtained. By forming the edges 43 and 4I the sharp points of the tongues or corners 38 and 39 are removed and there is less liability of these points curling up in handling the shingles. Also in handling there is less liability of these corners being caught upon the roof boards or in cracks or upo-n other obstructions. Moreover, by forming the recesses or notches, as stated above, I may more readily insert the lateral edge I4 or I5 of a shingle being inserted in the slits 8 and 9, as it is possible to slip the edge I 4 or I5 into the recess and by slight pressure upon the shingle being in` serted the edge I4 or I5 thereof will slip up into the slit 8 or 9 as the case may be.

In inserting a shingle. in interlocking arrangement between two laterally adjacent shingles, which operation is necessary in laying interlocking shingles of this type, by slightly lifting the auxiliary tab, for example, the tab II on the shingle already laid at the left of the shingle being laid, the tongue 6 may be slipped thereunder and the shingle being laid may be forced to the left and drawn upward with the inner end of the slot 8 bearing against the lateral edge I5 of said shingle laid at the left. By carrying out this operation with the shingle being laid in a tilted position the tongue 'I thereof also may be swung under the auxiliary tab I5 of the shingle already laid at the right. It will thus be clear that the notches or recess 20 and 2I are of material assistance in guiding the lateral edges into the slits.

It will be clear from a consideration of Figure 3 and from the above description that the edge I5 of one shingle is inserted in the slit 8 of a shingle adjacent to the right and that the tongue B adjacent said slit 8 is slipped under the edge I5 and underlies a substantial portion of the edge of said inserted shingle. Likewise, a shingle may be inserted from the right with its edge I4 in the slit 9 and with the tongue 'I underlying said edge and a substantial portion of the inserted shingle. The

tabs I6 and I'I thus rest upon a substantial area of the upper surface of the inserted or interlock-ed shingles and may become sealed thereto when adhesive coatings are applied or are carried by the shingles themselves.

These tabs also form the desired auxiliary motif and it will be apparent that the motifs produced by the auxiliary tabs I6 and I 'I are harmonious with the motif formed by the main tab of the shingle and that in combination they form a motif which may be novel. This motif, as a matter of design, forms no part of the invention but is secured, however, by the mechanical features of the shingle itself which provide for and cooperate to secure the strong interlock and a pleasing appearance of the assembled roof covering.

It will be noted that the shingle of my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, has the edge of the portion thereof to be exposed formed in symmetrical outline with respect to the lateral edges I4 and I5 of the shingle, which lateral edges are like-extending. It is a feature of my invention that this end portion has its edge formed with portions thereof extending at obtuse angles to the direction of said like-extending lateral edges but oppositely with respect to each other. 'Ihus the edges 4 and 5 form obtuse angles respectively with the edges I4 and l5. This relationship of the edges would exist if the edges 4 and 5 respectively were continued as straight lines to intersect said lateral edges I4 and l5. While it is preferable, as above described, that the end portion of the shingle shall be formed with the edges I0 and H oiset outwardly from the body of the shingle with respect to the edges 4 and 5 in order to obtain longer slits 8 and Ei and tongues 6 and 'I of more ample area, nevertheless, within the scope of my invention the edges Cl and 5 may be continued so as to intersect respectively the edges I4 and l5. From another point of view the edges IS and l l which forni obtuse angles with the lateral edges i4 and l5 may be extended in the direction in which they converge and this extension may be continued, if desired, to the point at which they will intersect upon the center line of the shingle. While these modications are within the scope of my invention, the forms illustrated are the preferred forms because' a body of the shingle is secured of ample area but of less extent of the extended portions thereof than would be the case, for example, if the edges 34 and 35 were continued to intersect upon the center linel of the shingle as would be the case if a pointed or V- shaped tab were formed by the edges 4 and 5, in the shingle instead of the semi-hexagonal tab 2 formed by edges 3, i and 5, as illustrated in Figures l and 2. Nevertheless, within the scope of my invention this tab 2 may be' modified, while securing the advantages above described, and other forms such as rounded tabs or tabs of other outline may be used.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim:

1. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having an end edge transverse to said lateral edge' with a portion extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said shingle having a recess out in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a slit extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and transversely of said obtusely extending portion of the end edge, said recess being wider at said obtusely extending portion of the end edge than at the inner end thereof, and said slit being connected at the inner narrow end of said recess.

2. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having a portion of the end edge at the end of the shingle to be exposed extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said single having a recess cut in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a slit extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and transversely of said obtusely extending portion of the end edge, said recess and said slit forming with said lateral edge an auxiliary tab for overlapping upon an adjacent interlocked shingle.

3. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having a portion of the end edge at the end of the shingle to be exposed extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said shingle having a recess cut in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a slit extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and transversely of said obtusely extending portion of the end edge, said recess being wider at said obtusely extending portion of the end edge than at the inner end thereof, and said slit being connected at the inner narrow end of said recess, said obtusely extending edge, said recess and said slit being so formed and cut as to provide a tongue adjacent the recess extending outwardly from said obtusely extending edge at the side of the recess remote from said lateral edge 4. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having a portion of the end edge at the end of the shingle to be exposed extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said shingle having a recess cut in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a slit extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and transversely of said obtusely extending portion of the end edge, said recess being wider at said obtusely extending portion of the end edge than at the inner end thereof, said slit being connected at the inner narrow end of said recess, said obtusely extending edge said recess and said slit being so formed and cut as to provide a tongue adjacent the recess extending outwardly from said obtusely extending edge at the side of the recess remote from said lateral edge, said recess and said slit being so formed as to provide adjacent'said lateral edge of the shingle a substantially symmetrical auxiliary tab upon said shingle for overlapping upon an adjacent interlocked shingle.

5. A roong element of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent element and having an edge generally transverse to said lateral edge, said transverse edge having the portion which is adjacent said lateral edge extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said element having formed therein adjacent said lateral edge a cut extending in the direction from said obtuse portion of said transverse edge inwardly toward the central portion of the element and formed and positioned with respect to said lateral edge and to said obtuse portion so as to provide between said cut and the part of said obtuse portion adjacent said lateral edge an auxiliary tab for overlapping upon a laterally adjacent element having its lateral edge inserted in said cut, the direction of said cut and of said obtuse portion being in similar angular relation about a line like-extending with said lateral edge, said cut extending inwardly of the element to a point positioned substantially opposite in the direction transversely of said line like-extending with said lateral edge to the corner formed by the lateral edge and said obtuse portion of the end edge.

6. A roof construction comprising a plurality of roong elements each having two like-extending lateral edges and an edge generally transversely of said lateral edges, said transverse edge being formed with the portions thereof which respectively are adjacent said lateral edges extending in laterally opposite but converging directions from said lateral edges of the element, each of said elements having for each of said converging portions a cut adjacent the adjacent lateral edge, said cuts extending toward the central portion of the shingle respectively in the direction from and transversely of said converging portions of said transverse edge to form between said cuts and the part of the respective converging portions which lie between said cuts and the respective lateral edges auxiliary tabs adjacent each lateral edge of the element, the direction of each cut and of itsrespective converging portion being in similar angular relation about a line like-extending with 75 said lateral edges, said elements being arranged with the lateral edges thereof inserted in the cuts said laterally positioned elements having the auxof the respectively laterally positioned elements,I iliary tabs thereof lapped upon the element which has its lateral edges inserted in said cuts.

7. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having a portion of the end edge or the shingle at the end thereof to be exposed extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said end edge being formed so as to provide a tongue projecting outwardly beyond a part of said obtuse portion thereof, said shingle having a cut adjacent said tongue extending inwardly of said obtuse portion of the end edge of the shingle in a direction to increase the length of the tongue and to provide for interlocking of the lateral edge of a laterally adjacent shingle.

8. A shingle as in claim 7 in which the edge of the tongue is formed as a continuation of said cut.

9. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having an end edge transverse to said lateral edge with a portionextending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said shingle having a recess cut in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a cut extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and transversely of said obtusely extending portion of the end edge.

1Q. A shingle of interlocking type having a lateral edge intended to be interlocked with a laterally adjacent shingle and having an end edge transverse to said lateral edge with a portion extending at an obtuse angle to said lateral edge, said shingle having a recess cut in said obtusely extending portion of the end edge and also having a cut extending inwardly of the shingle from said recess and in such relation thereto as to increase the overlap upon an adjacent shingle having its lateral edge inserted in said recess and cut.

1l. A shingle of interlocking type formed with two like-extending lateral edges and having an end transverse to said lateral edges formed with converging edges symmetrically positioned with respect to said like-extending lateral edges, said converging edges forming with said lateral edges obtuse angles, said shingle having intersecting each of said converging edges a cut extending toward the central portion of the shingle and substantially parallel to the other converging edge, each of said cuts so intersecting its respective converging edge as to form between itself and the adjacent lateral edge of the shingle an auxiliary tab symmetrical about a line like-extending with said lateral edges.

12. A shingle of interlocking type formed with two like-extending lateral edges and having an end edge transverse to said lateral edges with at least the portions thereof which respectively are adjacent said lateral edges extending in laterally opposite but converging directions at angles to said lateral edges of the shingle, said shingle having intersecting each of said converging portions of said edge of the shingle and adjacent the respective lateral edges a cut extending toward the central portion of the shingle and transversely of its respective converging portion of said end edge of said shingle, said cut being of such form and length and being so positioned in the shingle as to form between itself and the adjacent lateral edge an auxiliary tab having converging edges of similar extent and in similar angular relation about a line like-extending with said lateral edges.

13. A shingle of interlocking type formed with two like-extending lateral edges and having an end edge transverse to said lateral edges with at least the portions thereof which respectively are adjacent said lateral edges extending in laterally opposite but converging directions at angles to said lateral edges of the shingle, said shingle having intersecting each of said converging portions of said edge of the shingle and adjacent the respective lateral edges a cut extending toward the central portion of the shingle and transversely of its respective converging portion of said end edge of said shingle, said cut being of such form and length and being so positioned in the shingle as to form between itself and the adjacent lateral edge an auxiliary tab having converging edges of similar extent and in similar angular relation about a line like-extending with said lateral edges, the parts of said converging portions of the end edge which are respectively adjacent the lateral edges of the shingle being offset with respect to the remainder of said converging portions of said end edge, each of said cuts intersecting its respective offset part, said offset being in a direction to increase the length of the cut and to provide adjacent said cut on the opposite side thereof from the adjacent lateral edge a tongue projecting beyond the body of the shingle between said converging portions of the end edge.

14. A shingle of interlocking type formed with two like-extending side edges, said shingle having a portion of the end edge to be exposed thereof laterally extending and substantially symmetrically with respect to said side edges and having portions of said end edge at the ends of said laterally extending portion extending in opposite directions respectively toward the adjacent side edges of the shingle and each forming obtuse angles with said side edges and with said laterally extending portion of the end edge, said shingle having a pair of slits, each slit extending transversely to and intersecting one of said portions of said end edge which extends at said obtuse angle with the side edge of the shingle, said slits being so positioned in the shingle and being of such length as to determine the amount of exposure of said end edge between adjacent interlocked shingles and to form with the part of said portion extending at said obtuse angles which respectively is adjacent the side edge substantially symmetrical auxiliary tabs adjacent each side edge for overlapping upon the adjacent interlocked shingle, the portions of the end edge extending at obtuse angles to the laterally extending portion of said end edge each being formed with that part thereof which is adjacent the side edge of the shingle outwardly offset with respect to that part thereof which is adjacent the laterally extending portion of said end edge, said slits being so positioned as to provide adjacent each slit on the side thereof toward said laterally extending portion of the end edge a tongue projecting beyond said part extending obtusely to said laterally extending edge and adjacent thereto, said outwardly offset parts of said obtuse edges having formed therein recesses connecting to said slits and forming auxiliary tabs of similar shape to the shape of the end edge determined by interlocking adjacent shingles in said slits.

JOHN A. TOPPING. 

